Automatic dispensing machine for golf balls



G. VENZKE March 28, 1967 AUTOMATIC DISPENSING MACHINE FOR GOLF BALLSFiled March 30, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Gene Venzke INVENTOR.

G. VENZKE March 28, 1 .967

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 30, 1966 6 a. o 0 i F 8 7 6 w m N z K v J.\L 0 4 2 0 4 m +wmmwk u H m 9 w a 3 as L Gene Venzke INVENTOR.

March :28, 1967 (5. VENZKE 3,331,261

AUTOMATIC DISPENSING MACHINE FOR GOLF BALLS Filed. March 30, 1966 5Sheets-Sheet 5 m Fig. 3 EF Fig.4

em? Venzfire 1N VENTOR.

United States Patent dfiliidl Patented Mar. 2%, i967 3,311,261 AUTOMATICDISPENSlNG MACHINE F91 GOLF BALLS Gene Venzlre, Reading, Pa, assignor toReading Golf Equipment & Supply Co., Inc., a corporation of PennsylvaniaFiled Mar. 30, 1966, Ser. No. 538,719 Ciairns. (Cl. 221-179) Thisinvention relates to a novel and useful automatic dispensing machine forgolf balls and more specifically to a machine into which a large numberof practice golf balls may be placed and which may be utilized toconsecutively dispense individual groups of a predetermined number ofpractice golf balls responsive to insertion of the proper value coin orcoins into a coin-controlled actuating assembly of the machine,

The machine of the instant invention includes a hollow housing defininga practice ball storage compartment in the upper portion thereof of avolume adapted to receive several thousand practice golf balls. Thehousing also includes a lower golf ball dispensing chamber and a meansis provided to deliver balls from the upper storage compartment bygravity to the lower golf ball dispensing compartment in a mannerinsuring a constant supply of balls in the dispensing compartmentwithout excessively crowding the dispensing compartment with an excessof golf balls.

Further, the dispensing compartment includes means adapted to engage aplurality of balls rolling by gravity down the bottom of the lower golfball dispensing compartment and to guide a predetermined number of ballsto a discharge position extending along one marginal edge portion of theball wall of the golf ball dispensing chamber. The machine also includesdelivery means operative to intermittently receive each group of ballsdisposed in the aforementioned position and to dispense each groupreceived upon actuation of the coin-controlled actuating mechanism ofthe machine.

The main object of this invention is to provide a dispensing machine forgolf balls, and in particular practicing golf balls, which will becapable of storing a large number of golf balls therein andintermittently dispensing a predetermined number of golf balls inresponse to operation of a coin-controlled mechanism operativelyassociated with the dispensing mechanism of the machine.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine in accordancewith the preceding object which will, independently of the coin-operatedcontrol mechanism which will be of the manually actuatable type,intermittently dispense groups of practice golf balls without relying onany external power supply.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein toprovide a machinein accordance with the preceding objects which willconform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple constructionand easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economicallyfeasible, long-lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the dispensing machine of the instantinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the machine with its top wall removed aswell as the upper bottom wall of the storage compartment of the machineand with the coincontrolled actuating mechanism illustrated in phantomlines;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a planeindicated by the section line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantiallyupon a plane indicated by section line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view similar to that ofFIGURE 4 but with the ball dispensing mechanism of the machine in adifferent position of operation;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary longitudinally vertical sectional view similarto that of FIGURE 3 but illustrating the receptacle assembly in elevatedposition; and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the vertically shiftable balldispensing receptacle of the machine illustrated on somewhat of areduced scale.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral it?generally designates a machine of the instant invention which includes alarge volume hollow housing generally referred to by the referencenumeral 12 provided with opposite side walls 14 and 16, opposite endwalls 18 and 20, and a top wall 22 which may be removably secured overthe top of the housing 12 in any convenient manner. Further, the housing12 includes four corner supporting leg assemblies 24 which may be of anysuitable design and adjustable in length if desired.

With attention now invited more specifically to FIG- URES 3 and 4 of thedrawings it may be seen that the machine it also includes a lower bottomWall generally referred to by the reference numeral 28 including a pairof opposite side sections 34) and 32. The sections 30 and 32 are eachlongitudinally inclined downwardly toward the front end wall 18 and alsotoward their inner marginal edge portions 34 and 36, the latter beingspaced apart and secured to an elongated and also longitudinallyinclined upwardly opening trough structure 38 defined by a pair ofU-shaped brackets 4i) and 42 supported from a pair of angle irons 44 and46 secured between the ends walls 18 and 2t) and to which the innermarginal edge portions 36 and 34, respectively, of the sections 30 and32 are secured.

Still further, the housing 12 includes a plurality of transverse bracemembers 48 secured between the side walls 14 and 16 and which support anupper bottom Wall 59 defining the bottom of a golf ball storagecompartment 52 defined above the bottom wall 50 in the upper portion ofthe housing 12. The bottom wall 50 is inclined oppositely relative tothe longitudinal inclination of the bottom wall 28 and has its rearlower end 52 spaced slightly from the rear wall 29 of the housingdefining a throat 54 through which golf balls are adapted to fall b-ygravity into the lower dispensing compartment 56 defined between thebottom walls 23 and 52.

A transverse brace 58 is supported from and extends transversely of thefront wall 18 and a bearing journal 69 is supported from the brace 68and aligned with a second bearing journal 62 dependingly supported fromthe rear transverse brace 48. An operating shaft 64 has its oppositeends rotatably received in the journals 6% and 62 and has a pair ofoperating arms 66 secured thereto. The free ends of the operating arms66 have the upper end portions of a pair of lift arms 68 pivotallysecured thereto. The lower ends of the lift arms 63 are secured to areceptacle assembly generally referred to by the reference numeral 74snugly receivable in the trough structure 38 and defining a pair ofopposite side tracks or channels 71 and 72 extending longitudinally ofthe receptacle assembly. The tracks 71 and 72 are inclined downwardlytoward the front wall 18 of the housing 12 and the receptacle assembly'79 includes a pair of upstand- 3 ing sides 74 and 76 whose purpose isto be hereinafter more fully set forth.

A pair of transversely extending opposite side baffles 78 are secured tothe sections 36 and 32 adjacent their upper ends and a second pair oftransverse b-afiles 80 are secured to the sections 30 and 32 adjacenttheir lower ends. Further, the trough assembly 33 extends throughout thelength of only the lower portion of the bottom wall 23 and the upper endof the receptacle assembly includes an upstanding V-shaped baffie 82which is vertically shiftable with the receptacle assembly 70.

An outlet receiver structure generally referred to by the referencenumeral 84 is supported from the end wall 18 and includes an outlet neck86 which opens outwardly of the housing 12 as at 88 and is adapted tohave a bucket 91), see FIGURE 1, disposed thereunder for receiving thegolf balls 92 dispensed from the machine 19.

The shaft 64 has mounted thereon a third arm 94 to whose free end anadjacent end of a connecting link 96 is pivotally secured as at 98. Theremote end of the connecting link 96 is pivotally connected to the freeend of a lever arm 98 by means of a pivot pin 109 and the lever arm 98is secured to an actuating shaft 102 of a coincontrolled actuatingmechanism 104 of any suitable design secured to the outer surface of thefront wall 18 of the housing 12. Operatively connected to the shaft 162is a lever 106 mounted on the exterior of the coin-controlled actuatingmechanism 104 and the lever 166 is operably connected to the shaft 102for free operation of the latter in response to actuation of the lever196 only upon the insertion of the correct coin or coins into the coinintake slot 198 of the coin controlled actuating mechanism 104. Further,a dashpot assembly generally referred to by the reference numeral 110 inthe form of a telescopic cylinder has its extendible end pivotallysecured to the pivot pin 160 and its base end pivotally secured to abracket 112 supported from the front wall 18 by means of a pivotfastener 114, see FIGURE 2.

Each of the tracks 71 and 72 includes a bottom wall 116, see FIGURE 7,and each may include an upstanding and removable screw 118 threadedlyengaged in a selected threaded aperture 119 formed through thecorresponding bottom wall 116, there being provided a plurality of suchthreaded apertures 119 in each bottom or bottom wall 116 spacedlongitudinally therealong. Accordingly, the screws 118 may be utilizedto vary the number of golf balls within the tracks 71 and 72 that arefree to roll downwardly to the lower end of the tracks 71 and 72 andoutwardly of the outlet receiver structure 84 for ultimate dispensinginto the bucket 90.

In operation, a plurality of golf balls may be loaded into the storagecompartment 52 for discharge through the throat 54 downwardly onto theupper end of the bottom 28 disposed beneath the throat 54. The baffles78 tend to prevent a wave of balls from overcrowding the lower portionsof the bottom 28 and act to anchor the bottom of the pile of ballsflowing downwardly through the throat 54 in order that the pile of ballswill have a relatively great angle of repose. In addition, the bathe 82will separate the flow of balls passing between the baffles 78 andstriking the bafiie 82 into two separate streams of balls rollingdownward along the raised sides 74 and 76 of the receptacle assemblywhen the latter is in the raised position illustrated in FIG. of thedrawings. Accordingly, a single line of golf balls will be disposedalong each side of the receptacle assembly 70 ready to roll into thetracks or channels 71 and 72 as soon as the receptacle assembly 70 islowered to the position illustrated in FIGURE 4 of the drawings upon theinsertion of the proper coins in a slot or opening 108 and subsequentactuation of the lever 1136. Of course, should there be any stray ballsattempting to form a double line of balls down either side of thereceptacle assembly 7-0, the baffles 88 will prevent such stray ballsfrom moving therepast and will therefore insure the formation of asingle line of balls along each side of the lower end of the receptacledisposed below the baffles 80.

The width of the troughs or tracks 71 and 72 is such that only a singleline of golf balls may be received therein. Therefore, as soon as thelever 106 has been actuated to lower the receptacle assembly 71?, asingle line of golf balls will fall into each track or. trough 71 and72, thereafter upon release of the lever m6, the dashpot assembly willcause the receptacle assembly 70 to be raised to the position thereofillustrated in FI URE 5 of the drawings aligning the lower end of thetracks 71 and 72 with the outlet receiver 84 whereupon the balis in thetracks 71 and 72 will fiow outwardly of the receiver 84 and into thebucket 90. The screws 118 will, as aforementioned, limit the number ofballs Within the troughs or tracks '71 and 72 which will be allowed tofloat downwardly along the receptacle assembly 7 0.

The vertical reciprocation of the baffle 32 during actua tion of thelever will have a tendency to agitate any balls collected between theadjacent marginal edge por tions of the upper ends of the sections 341and 3 2 and to thereby cause any collection of balls to flow downwardlyalong opposite sides of the receptacle assembly 70 in single filefashion upon return of the receptacle assembly 70 to its elevatedposition illustrated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A machine for dispensing golf balls, said machine comprising a hollowhousing including an elongated bottom wall having a section thereofinclined downwardly toward one end and also toward one longitudinalmarginal edge portion, said housing including ball engaging meansadapted to engage a plurality of balls rolling down an upper portion ofsaid section by gravity and guide a predetermined number of said ballsinto aligned position along said one longitudinal marginal edge portion,an elongated receptacle generally paralleling said edge portion injuxtaposed relation thereto and mounted from said machine for verticalmovement relative to said section between a first lowered position and asecond raised position, said receptacle including an upstanding sideadjacent said marginal edge whose upper edge is disposed generallycoplanar with the adjacent portions of said marginal edge when saidreceptacle is in said first position, said receptacle including meansdefining an inclined track extending along and inwardly of said sidedown which balls rolling laterally into said receptacle are adapted toroll, an outlet receiver in said housing above the lower end of saidtrack when said receptacle is in its lowered position and registeredwith the lower end of said track when said receptacle is in its upperposition, said receptacle including portions defining an upstandingfence along said marginal edge portion when said receptacle is in itsraised position, and means operative to selectively raise and lower saidreceptacle, said machine including a ball storage compartment thereindisposed above said bottom wall and means operative to deliver ballsfrom said compartment by gravity to the upper end portion of saidsection in a manner insuring a constant supply of balls on the uper endportion of said section without excessively crowding said upper endportion, said ball storage means including a second bottom wall in saidhousing spaced above said bottom wall and inclined downwardly toward theupper end of said section and spaced above the latter at its lower end,said housing including an upstanding wall spaced slightly between thelower end of said second wall and defining a throat between said secondbottom Wall and said upstanding wall communicating the ball storage areaabove said second bottom Wall with the ball dispensing area disposedbetween said bottom walls through which balls from said storage are-aare adapted to pass into said dispensing area at a controlled rate.

2. A machine for dispensing golf balls, said machine comprising a hollowhousing including an elongated bottom wall having a section thereofinclined downwardly toward one end and also toward one longitudinalmarginal edge portion, said housing including ball engaging meansadapted to engage a plurality of balls rolling down an upper portion ofsaid section by gravity and guide a predetermined number of said ballsinto aligned position along said one longitudinal marginal edge portion,an elongated receptacle generally paralleling said edge portion injuxtaposed relation thereto and mounted from said machine for verticalmovement relative to said section between a first lowered position and asecond raised position, said receptacle including an upstanding sideadjacent said marginal edge whose upper edge is disposed generallycoplanar with the adjacent portions of said marginal edge when saidreceptacle is in said first position, said receptacle including meansdefining an inclined track extending along and inwardly of said sidedown which balls rolling laterally into said receptacle are adapted toroll, an outlet receiver in said housing above the lower end of saidtrack when said receptacle is in its lowered position and registeredwith the lower end of said track when said receptacle is in its upperposition, said receptacle including portions defining an upstandingfence along said marginal edge portion when said receptacle is in itsraised position, and means operative to selectively raise and lower saidreceptacle, said bottom wall including a second section generallyparalleling and spaced to the side of the first mentioned sectiondefining said one longitudinal marginal edge portion thereof anddefining an elongated opening between said sections, said second sectionalso being inclined downwardly toward the end thereof corresponding tosaid one end of the first mentioned section and also downwardly towardthe latter, said receptacle being disposed between said sections andincluding means defining an inclined track and an upstanding sideadjacent the longitudinal marginal edge of said second sectioncorresponding to the first mentioned track 5 and side, the upper end ofsaid receptacle adjacent the upper ends of said sections includingbafile means operative to latterally deflect balls rolling toward theupper end of said receptacle to opposite sides of the latter.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said section includes transverselyextending upstanding bafile means secured thereto at a point spaced downalong said section from a vertical plane containing the lower edge ofsaid second bottom wall, said bafile means terminating a spaced distancefrom said longitudinal marginal edge portion.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said bottom wall includes a secondsection generally paralleling and spaced to the side of the firstmentioned section defining said one longitudinal marginal edge portionthereof and defining an elongated opening between said sections, saidsecond section also being inclined downwardly toward the end thereofcorresponding to said one end of the first mentioned section and alsodownwardly toward the latter, said receptacle being disposed betweensaid sections and including means defining an inclined track and an upstanding side adjacent the longitudinal marginal edge of said secondsection corresponding to the first mentioned track and side, the upperend of said receptacle adjacent the upper ends of said sectionsincluding baflle means operative to laterally deflect balls rollingtoward the upper end of said receptacle to opposite sides of the latter.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said section includes transverselyextending upstanding bafile means secured thereto at a point spaced downalong said section from a vertical plane containing the lower edge ofsaid second bottom wall, said bafiie means terminating a spaced distancefrom said longitudinal marginal edge portion, said means operative toselectively raise and lower said receptacle including coin-controlledactuating means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,446,381 2/1923Dent 22l474 X 1,803,993 5/1931 Brennan 22l254 X 2,013,881 9/1935 Fleming221274 X ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner. STANLEY H. TOLLBERG,Examiner.

1. A MACHINE FOR DISPENSING GOLF BALLS, SAID MACHINE COMPRISING A HOLLOWHOUSING INCLUDING AN ELONGATED BOTTOM WALL HAVING A SECTION THEREOFINCLINED DOWNWARDLY TOWARD ONE END AND ALSO TOWARD ONE LONGITUDINALMARGINAL EDGE PORTION, SAID HOUSING INCLUDING BALL ENGAGING MEANSADAPTED TO ENGAGE A PLURALITY OF BALLS ROLLING DOWN AN UPPER PORTION OFSAID SECTION BY GRAVITY AND GUIDE A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF SAID BALLSINTO ALIGNED POSITION ALONG SAID ONE LONGITUDINAL MARGINAL EDGE PORTION,AN ELONGATED RECEPTACLE GENERALLY PARALLELING SAID EDGE PORTION INJUXTAPOSED RELATION THERETO AND MOUNTED FROM SAID MACHINE FOR VERTICALMOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID SECTION BETWEEN A FIRST LOWERED POSITION AND ASECOND RAISED POSITION, SAID RECEPTACLE INCLUDING AN UPSTANDING SIDEADJACENT SAID MARGINAL EDGE WHOSE UPPER EDGE IS DISPOSED GENERALLYCOPLANAR WITH THE ADJACENT PORTIONS OF SAID MARGINAL EDGE WHEN SAIDRECEPTACLE IS IN SAID FIRST POSITION, SAID RECEPTACLE INCLUDING MEANSDEFINING AN INCLINED TRACK EXTENDING ALONG AND INWARDLY OF SAID SIDEDOWN WHICH BALLS ROLLING LATERALLY INTO SAID RECEPTACLE ARE ADAPTED TOROLL, AN OUTLET RECEIVER IN SAID HOUSING ABOVE THE LOWER END OF SAIDTRACK WHEN SAID RECEPTACLE IS IN ITS LOWERED POSITION AND REGISTEREDWITH THE LOWER END OF SAID TRACK WHEN SAID RECEPTACLE IS IN ITS UPPERPOSITION, SAID RECEPTACLE INCLUDING PORTIONS DEFINING AN UPSTANDINGFENCE ALONG SAID MARGINAL EDGE PORTION WHEN SAID RECEPTACLE IS IN ITSRAISED POSITION, AND MEANS OPERATIVE TO SELECTIVELY RAISE AND LOWER SAIDRECEPTACLE, SAID MACHINE INCLUDING A BALL STORAGE COMPARTMENT THEREINDISPOSED ABOVE SAID BOTTOM WALL AND MEANS OPERATIVE TO DELIVER BALLSFROM SAID COMPARTMENT BY GRAVITY TO THE UPPER END PORTION OF SAIDSECTION IN A MANNER INSURING A CONSTANT SUPPLY OF BALLS ON THE UPPER ENDPORTION OF SAID SECTION WITHOUT EXCESSIVELY CROWDING SAID UPPER ENDPORTION, SAID BALL STORAGE MEANS INCLUDING A SECOND BOTTOM WALL IN SAIDHOUSING SPACED ABOVE SAID BOTTOM WALL AND INCLINED DOWNWARDLY TOWARD THEUPPER END OF SAID SECTION AND SPACED ABOVE THE LATTER AT ITS LOWER END,SAID HOUSING INCLUDING AN UPSTANDING WALL SPACED SLIGHTLY BETWEEN THELOWER END OF SAID SECOND WALL AND DEFINING A THROAT BETWEEN SAID SECONDBOTTOM WALL AND SAID UPSTANDING WALL COMMUNICATING THE BALL STORAGE AREAABOVE SAID SECOND BOTTOM WALL WITH THE BALL DISPENSING AREA DISPOSEDBETWEEN SAID BOTTOM WALLS THROUGH WHICH BALLS FROM SAID STORAGE AREA AREADAPTED TO PASS INTO SAID DISPENSING AREA AT A CONTROLLED RATE.